Gloria A. (Kondrat) Chess, 90, of Nashua, passed away in her sleep Wednesday morning, March 29, 2017 after a long period of declining health.
Mrs. Chess was born in Nashua on August 9, 1926, the daughter of Russian immigrants Simeon Kondrat and Mary (Andrews) Kondrat Malette. She grew up in Hudson before marrying Frank G. Chess and moving to Nashua, where the couple spent their more than 50 year marriage.
While both attended the James P. Crowley School on Lake Street as children, they actually met as teenagers at a picnic for the Lithuanian community in Nashua. The couple married at St. Casimir Church in Nashua on August 18, 1945, days after the end of World War II. They raised three children, Cynthia, Steve and Kevin in Nashua. Mrs. Chess worked for Sprague Electric Company in Nashua before spending the remainder of her career working in administration with the Nashua Police Department.
Despite suffering with severe arthritis since the age of 25, Mrs. Chess enjoyed life and her family. She made ceramic objects for her family members and was an avid reader. Later in her life, she served as a patient educator to medical students and doctors about her arthritis and the medications that helped. Mrs. Chess remained in her family home until a year and half ago before moving to Fairview Nursing Home in Hudson.
Members of her family include her three children, Cynthia A. Mowry and her husband Steve of Maine; Steve Chess and his wife Bernice of Hudson and Kevin Chess and his wife Rosanne of New York; four grandchildren, Matthew Mowry and his wife Lisa of Rochester, Kara Mowry of Concord, Caleb Chess and his wife Jennifer of New York and Joshua Chess of Nebraska; eight great-grandchildren, Piper, Cooper, Cacidy, Daniel, Pandora, Zoe, Ayla and Edyn; a brother, Ray “Sonny” Malette of Merrimack; a sister, Victoria “Vicki” Torres of South Carolina; also nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Gloria was predeceased by husband Frank who passed away in January 2001; her sister, Constance Duscheneau; and her step-father, Raymond Malette.
Calling hours will be held at the FARWELL FUNERAL HOME, 18 Lock Street, Nashua on Sunday afternoon, April 2nd from 3 to 6 p.m. Her funeral service will be held in the funeral home, Monday morning at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Hudson. Friends are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Home Health & Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054. Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE. (603) 882-0591. www.farwellfuneralservice.com
